*This chapter is an edited MTL
Subaru had experienceed riding in a dragon carriage four times—few enough times to count on one hand.
Most recently, twice on the round trip between the royal capital and the mansion. Then, on Subaru’s first day in this world, when he had been knocked down three times by Elsa’s deadly blade, when he was unconscious that he was being carried into the mansion.
And one more time–when,
Subaru: "My fourth time was in that cargo-carrying dragon carraige… the one I used when I snuck into the castle, taking advantage of Kadmon's goodwill."
He recalled the circumstances of that secret entry into the castle, shoved into the back of a cargo carriage full of fishy smells.
All the memories of the castle, and everything, are all but a collection of abominable memories for Subaru, but it was that experience that gave him the idea for this time.
That is, if there is no store that rents out dragon carts in the regular way, then,
Subaru: "Why don't we just rent one from people who are supposed to use dragon carts to get around from the beginning?"
Even Kadmon, the owner of a fruit shop that was out of fashion in the capital, was handling a dragon cart. I remember that he had said that the dragon carts were used by the shopkeepers in that street, but it is not unlikely that the vendors who do not own their own stores are pulling their own dragon carts.
Subaru: "In fact, I've passed dragon carts many times on streets full of street vendors. I read in an old novel that merchants before setting up store somewhere else were basically either working as menial laborers or peddling with horse-drawn carts."
And this idea was confirmed by the innkeeper, who nodded his head in agreement.
According to him, there are a few people in this village who keep dragon carriages for their own use.
The presence of these people barely kept the light of hope burning in Subaru's heart. But,
Host: "The local Ground Dragons are indispensable for their livelihood, and for the peddlers, they are a lifeline. Negotiations will be very difficult.”
The host told him that this was a proposal that would be difficult to negotiate.
However, Subaru had no other options available to him at the moment. Therefore, Subaru shook his head at his host’s concern and said,
Subaru: “No, I'll try anyway. Show me a place with a dragon carriage."
And so, he chose to negotiate.
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—However, as the innkeeper feared, the negotiations were quite difficult.
First of all, households that have stores in the village and use dragon carts for purchasing and trading with other villages were not willing to use dragon carts for unscheduled purposes.
For them, a dragon carriage is a tool of business, not something that can be easily rented out to others. In addition, they have daily business, and no one would be crazy enough to accompany Subaru on his journey.
After being rejected by all of the potential shopkeepers, the peddlers who were peddling their own dragon carts were even more difficult to find.
Subaru had thought that these peddlers, who were known for their light footwork and inability to stay in one place, would be the perfect candidates for this kind of request.
???: "It's Mathers territory, right? I'm sorry, but it's impossible to go there at this time of the year."
With these words, the man who broke off negotiations with Subaru was a tall, skinny man.
He looked reptilianly at Subaru, who was still groping for words to persist, and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't go with you now.”
Man: "And I hate to say it, but I don't think I'm the only one who's going to say no. In my case, it's purely about the cargo."
Subaru: "Cargo?"
Man: “My cargo is iron products to be used as weapons and armor. I'm told that the market price in Royal Capital has gone up considerably. Tomorrow, I'll have to rush the dragon carriage and join the profitable business.”
The man says this while lightly tapping the carriage and looking far off in the direction of the setting sun, which is probably Royal Capital.
He scratches his head, perhaps seeing Subaru's silence, and continues, "And besides," he says, "Fleur has a lot to offer on this scale.”
Man: "The reason Fleur is this big and reasonably wealthy is because it's a place where people like me who relay to and from the royal capital gather. That's why I'm sure there are quite a few people you'd like to negotiate with, but… they've all turned you down, haven't they?"
Subaru: "...Yeah, you're the sixth person who's turned me down."
Subaru bit his lip in regret as he told them the outcome with a reluctant look on his face.
In fact, he could see here and there a partner who met the prerequisites to negotiate. As the man had said, this was probably because the village was on the road to the royal capital.
Subaru was happy to hear that, and he was elated to offer them a negotiation that had been refused by the shopkeeper-merchant.
Man: "Now is the time of year when people who have been away from home are constantly heading to the capital. What can I do? There's a lot of commotion over the king's election. They can smell the money."
Subaru: "Is that what this is about…?"
As Subaru listens to the man's story, he realizes how shallow he is here as well.
It is a natural conclusion when you get down to the point of what peddlers are peddling for. They are not just merchants on the move. Their light footwork is an essential vitality to jump on the bandwagon of profitable business, and the goods they carry are transported with great effort because they can make a profit at the destination.
And now, in the face of the king's election, a situation that has the whole country excited, there is no way that any peddler would miss a business opportunity in Royal Capital.
The enthusiasm that is frustrated by a lack of foresight. Perhaps taking pity on Subaru, who was frustrated at the fading light he thought he saw, the man touched his nose thoughtfully and said, "I guess so.”
Man: "And now there's a lot of fishy rumors flying around the Mathers’ territory. Even if they were to drop the offer to go to Royal Capital, there's no way anyone would want to go there.
Subaru: "What about those fishy rumors? ...Are they related to the king's election, by any chance?"
Man: "I think it's just a bunch of idle rumors. The half-demon is a candidate, and he's supporting it or something. …There's still a lot of rubbish flying around about the king's election. Do you know about it?"
Subaru: "...No, I'm a little confused myself."
Quickly lying, Subaru dodges the man's question. Perhaps not expecting anything in particular, the man seemed to accept the question without seeming disappointed, saying "I see.”
As he glanced at the situation, Subaru realized that the environment surrounding Emilia was more of a vicious cycle than he had expected.
And just as he was growing weary of the obstacles standing in his path and Emilia's, the man suddenly clapped his hands and said, "That's right.”
Man: "Hey, rejoice. I've got an idea who might be interested in taking you up on your offer."
Subaru: "—! Seriously! I almost gave up and was about to rape you!"
Man: "I don't know what you're talking about, but it's true. I'll go get him."
With that, the man patted Subaru on the shoulder and took a short run across the street. Following the man, who ran into a store just out of sight, Subaru looked up at the store's sign.
Subaru: "...Maybe it's like a tavern?"
He was not quite sure, but some of the letters engraved on it used the "Ro-Script," which he had just begun to learn, and was barely legible. To add to that, there was a faint liquor-tinged air leaking out from behind the double-opened entrance, making me doubt the humanity of the one who entered, even though it was still high in the daylight.
Since the man ran in with such gusto, I assume he is one of these people.
Subaru: "What if they bring in a super addictive alcoholic or something. ...I wonder if it's safe to drink and drive a dragon carriage in this world or something."
He wondered if there is any jail time for driving under the influence of alcohol or having your license taken away. Maybe there is no such thing as the idea of a dragon carriage license to begin with.
He quietly resolved that if a strong, booze-soaked, self-employed man looking like he was part of the yakuza appeared, he would just scatter some gold coins at random and run away.
And then, in front of Subaru, who was making such a grim resolve, the door was opened and he said,
Man: "What, I told you to wait for me, but you came this way?"
A scrawny man laughs, his face looking as if he has lost his temper. The laughing man stretches his arms out into the store, apparently pulling on someone else's clothes to bring them out.
He looked in Subaru’s direction in the manner of peering into a store.
Subaru: "I went out of my way to ask you to do it, and you're being super rude if you let that guy use your leg …And you're the one who did it?"
Man: "Oh, yeah, yeah. This is the guy. Come on, Otto, say hello."
The man who roughly pulled on Subaru's arm took him out, and a gray-haired young man stepped forward in front of Subaru.
He was slightly shorter than Subaru and had a thin figure. He was slightly older than Subaru, around 20 years old. If he were to straighten his back and put his face in order, he would have a sweet mask that would pass for a handsome young man.
Subaru: "My name is Natsuki Subaru. I'm sorry to have forced you to come here. I thought you might be interested in doing me a favor. Ugh! The smell alone is intoxicating!"
He was about to start negotiating amicably when he was instantly knocked out by the stench in the air. The thick liquor, which seemed to bring back the contents of his stomach, wafted from the gloomy-looking young man in front of him.
As expected—or perhaps even more so than expected—he seemed to have been consumed by alcohol. In fact, the young man staggered through the distance of just a few steps and somehow managed to stand in front of Subaru.
Otto: "It’s me, now for introductions, Otto… ue, is what I’m called… Ue… hic, ue…"
He chirped three times during the short greeting.
The young man with a red face that didn’t match his handsome features introduced himself as he looked at Subaru.
Otto: "So, what was it? A business meeting? Was it a business meeting? I can't believe you're asking me for a business meeting. It's funny, isn't it?
Otto crouched down and started laughing for reasons Subaru didn’t understand.
Feeling his hopes completely frustrated by this situation, Subaru turned his resentful gaze on the man who introduced him. In response, he raised his hand, looking flustered.
Man: "Wait, wait, wait, I didn't trick you."
Subaru: "If you're serious about introducing me to him, I'm not sure what you're made of. I'm not talking about arresting you for drunk driving. I'd be questioned on foot in this state."
Subaru's suspicion was understandable.
The man who was staring at him shook Otto's crouching shoulders roughly, as if he thought Subaru's suspicions were justified.
Man: "Otto! Hey, get up, you son of a bitch. You're the one who told me to introduce you if there was a way to turn things around! You're not going to ruin it with a drink, are you?
Subaru: "A one-shot reversal move—!"
With a twitch, Otto's previously dead-eyed gaze changes. He shook off the man's hand holding his shoulder and stood up with a gesture that belied his previous alcohol-addled appearance.
Otto: "I’m terribly sorry, sir. My name is Otto Suwen. I am a humble merchant who makes his living by peddling."
Otto's determined face is almost audible.
Subaru is speechless at the transformation he has undergone. Otto looked Subaru in the eyes from top to bottom, and then exhaled, "Hmmm.”
Otto: "I see, so you are guaranteed a certain amount of status. This could certainly be a superior customer. Thank you very much, Mr. Ketty."
Ketty: "Hey, hey. And now we're talking, right? Well, I'm going to take my leave now. If you see me again, please patronize me. Otto, next time you owe me a favor."
When Otto shows him enough to clear his suspicions, the man pats his chest with an exaggeratedly reassuring air, raises his hand to me, and walks away.
After he walks away, Subaru looks back at the young man again. Otto, who was looking at him as if he was trying to gauge his value, had already lost any lingering traces of the drunkenness that had drowned him a moment before.
Otto: "Now, let's negotiate. —What do you want?"
Otto clapped his hands, held up a finger, and with a big smile on his face, he offered.
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Otto: "I can take care of it, yes."
When Subaru finished speaking about the situation in a simplified and to some extent blurred manner, Otto uttered these words.
Subaru, who had been introduced by a merchant called Ketty and had only hoped that he might not be turned down out of hand, was in a sense astonished by his willingness to accept the offer.
However, as soon as he accepted the meaning of the reply, Subaru immediately grasped Otto's hands with all his strength and said,
Subaru: "Oh, thank you! Well, you'll do it! That's a big help! Seriously, that's a big help!"
Otto: "Ow! Ow! Hey, that was strong! Wait a minute! I'm glad you're pleased, but I have a condition!"
In the process of swinging his arms up and down, Otto, his voice getting louder, shakes them off. Subaru tilts his head as he opens and closes his empty hands, "A condition?" He tilted his head.
Otto shakes his freed hand lightly, "Yes," he says, frowning faintly.
Otto: "I can't easily accept the offer, since I’m using a dragon carriage, the tool of my trade, or rather, my lifeline. Of course, I can accept the price as if it were a regular rental dragon carriage. Especially now that there are so many uncertainties about going to Mathers’ territory."
Subaru: "That’s obvious, right. Tell me the asking price already."
Glancing down at the bag in his hand, Subaru was intimidated, unable to imagine the amount of money Otto would ask for. The worst would be if he demanded a reward that exceeded the amount of money Subaru had left in his hand, he would be out of the game. Even if he did not, he would not be able to give his consent easily even if he was offered some kind of exchange.
Otto closed one eye at Subaru, who was so wary of the offer.
Otto: "Yes, that's right. Then, how about... for all the money you have?"
He lifted his hands, shrugged his shoulders, and spoke in a frightening gesture.
For him, it was the first step in a negotiation. In other words, it was a milestone. I could see from his brightly shining eyes that he wanted to pick up the pace from there and connect it to the rest of the conversation.
Mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue. A game of negotiation to compare eloquence and argument begins.
Subaru: "Is that okay? I understand. Then I'll leave this bag with you. Is it okay if I have you leave right away?"
It was not to be.
Subaru simply held out the bag in his hand, and Otto accepted it with a stunned look on his face. Feeling its heavy weight on both of his arms, he swallowed hard and turned his trembling eyes to Subaru.
Otto: "Wait, no, you're not! Normally, this is where we start arguing with each other to get closer to each other's demands! It's not that easy..."
Subaru: "It's a waste of time, and if you try to argue, you'll lose me. So I'm not going to fight a battle that's a waste of time, and if I only have to pay for the contents of that bag, then I'll be happy."
Worst case scenario, he would have lost the entire contents of the bag, and there was a chance that he would not be able to accomplish his goal. Considering that, it was a small price to pay if he could get a ticket for the onward journey by spending all the money he had.
Otto put his hand on his forehead in disgust at Subaru's decision.
Otto: “This is… perhaps I’ve been introduced to a very troublesome person..."
Subaru: "Rest assured. I'm not going to bother anyone personally.”
There was no way that Otto, who had known Subaru for too short a time, let alone Subaru himself, could have known that there was not a shred of conviction in that statement.
Otto: "I understand. I gave him the conditions for undertaking the project, and he accepted them immediately. Even for me, I have the pride of a merchant. Whatever the measly sum, I'll do it right and... uup! What, what is this huge amount of money? What are you doing by taking out this kind of money so easily... uppu."
Ignoring Otto's gagging from the nausea he remembered after checking the contents of his bag, Subaru clenched his fists in front of the opportunity he had finally seized.
Various obstacles stand in Subaru's way, but he manages to overcome them all. Right now, he still doesn't know what it is that blocks the way in front of Emilia, but he is sure that he will figure it out once he stands up next to her. And I am sure Subaru will be able to do something about it.
Subaru: "Hold on, I’m almost... almost there."
Clearly, the corners of Subaru's mouth twisted into the shape of a smile.
Whether it was because he was able to fulfill his purpose or because he had a vision of his beloved girl, even he, who was not aware that he was smiling, could not tell.
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Otto: "The contract will be confirmed. The destination is the Mathers territory, the territory of Roswaal L. Mathers, the Count of the Mathers Territory. The condition is to run through half the night in a way that shortens the time frame to the fullest. ...I'll accept the reward because it's a reward, but it's a reckless condition, this."
Subaru: "The guy who changed the color of his eyes when he saw the gold coins isn’t complaining. I'll take it because it's a reward. My future is at stake."
Otto: "I think my future is at stake in a lot of places at the same time..."
Otto is controlling the reins in his hand as he says this, and at his direction, the dragon is running across the ground, kicking the earth.
Otto's dragon carriage is a covered one with a large bed, and the dragon pulling it has a powerful and huge body to match. Subaru was concerned about the speed of the dragon because of its heavyweight appearance.
Otto: "The endurance is different because of that. They are a race of long-distance runners with especially good physical strength, so they won't be crushed even if they run for three days."
Subaru: "If you let them run for three days, it's the people who are riding them that will get crushed."
Otto: "About two years ago, I once drove a carriage so that I wouldn't miss an opportunity for a business meeting. I was so determined to die that I didn't think I could do it. I collapsed right after the meeting was over, and I was in a coma for about a week."
Subaru: "When you're ready to die, you know."
I look sideways at Otto's face, and he notices the look in my eyes and says, "What is it?" Subaru responds to this silent question with a wave of his hand, looking down at the dragon running to change the subject.
Subaru: "Anyway, in that case, there's no need to replace this one on the road. So we can just pass through the village of Hanumas, then?"
Otto: "Yes, we will. Hanumas is a better relay point than Fleur, but if you have your own dragon carriage with enough water and food, it's not worth stopping there. We're also talking about the request being urgent, so I'll let it pass by unimpeded."
Despite the fact that this was a complete abandonment in terms of planning, Otto's orderly speech contained not the slightest hint of anxiety.
From his point of view, this was probably one of the paths he had already taken many times. He is not much older than Subaru, but his well-groomed appearance gave him an air of dignity.
Even though he is such a person, he was willing to listen to Subaru's reckless wish. Of course, it is true that there was a reward, but Subaru wondered about that.
Subaru: "Hey, why did you do what I asked? It's also a mystery why you were drinking so much.”
Otto: "You're asking a lot of questions, aren't you, Natsuki-san?”
Otto's face is more bitter than a wry smile in response to Subaru's question.
Subaru adjusts his posture in front of the person who calls him by his first name, which is unusual for him since he came to this world. He then asked something that is normally difficult to ask, realizing after a long time that his comic level is low.
Subaru: "Well, I can't help what I've heard. So why don't you just tell me what you heard?
Otto: “I'm going to say it simply. ...Well, if it's as easy for me to say as it is to you, I screwed up a little by misplacing some information."
The two of them are now in the same room, and the two of them are talking about the same thing.
When Subaru raises an eyebrow at the mention of the words "screwed up," he turns his head toward the loading dock where the luggage is stacked and says
Otto: "So, there's my load this time, packed tightly in the back over there. ...What do you think is inside, do you know?"
Subaru: "Did you intend to sell pottery or something?”
Otto: "That's a shame award. It's not what's on the outside that's for sale, it's what's on the inside. The jars are filled with plenty of oil. Originally, we were going to take it North to Gusteko..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Otto chuckles to himself at his own deeds, as if his guess was off.
Otto: "It must be related to the king's election. The passage to and from Gusteko, the Northern country, has been temporarily closed. When I realized that I couldn't sell it, I resisted desperately, …well, that didn't happen and I was turned away."
What was supposed to be a big cash cow in the frigid Gusteko was turned away and had to be disposed of somehow within Lugnica. Otto had also traded in a number of iron products for oil, which for a while had fetched only a fraction of the price, so he was in tears.
As a result, he missed the chance to sell his iron products at a ridiculous price, lost the market for the oil he had obtained instead, and was at his wit's end.
Otto: "Even in the royal capital, such a large amount of oil cannot be easily sold out. …If I try to sell it for a couple of bucks, it would be my own undoing. I was about halfway through my life thinking that I was finished as a merchant when Natsuki made his offer.
Subaru: "Is that money going to somehow make up for this loss?"
Otto: "I can buy all of this oil for the price of what I sold it for and still make change. This somehow made my neck of the woods. Thank you, thank you."
Otto bowed his head in adoration, and Subaru waved his hand and said, "No, no, no." Subaru is grateful to him as well. In fact, he is even half-convinced that he is no less grateful than Otto.
For a while, they exchanged pleasantries such as, "Thanks to you," "No, no, thanks to you," "I am here because of you," and "Yes, we were destined to meet like this," and time passed by as they deepened their sympathy for each other.
There was a break in the conversation, and suddenly a silence fell between the two of them.
Subaru: "Hey, Otto. Can't we just plow through this plain?"
Otto hears Subaru's muttering and, as if he has just heard the best joke, he breaks into a smile and slaps his knee, saying, "Again, again.”
Otto: "That isn’t funny at all. When the «fog» hangs over the plain, the White Whale appears. It is the most famous of all the witchbeasts. ...If you encounter it, you will die."
Subaru: "Is it that dangerous? Surely it can be stopped.”
Otto: "As long as you avoid the «fog», the damage will be minimal. I heard that in the past there were expeditions organized to defeat it, but the results can be seen from the fact that the White Whale is still alive and well.”
In other words, there was damage that caused the failure of the defeat and discouraged subsequent expeditions.
While listening to this story, Subaru had mixed feelings about the mention of the word «witchbeast». For Subaru, when it came to witchbeasts, it was the swarms of juggernauts that also inhabited the vicinity of the Roswaal Mansion.
He thought there was some sympathy for the beasts, whose nests in the vicinity were all burned down and eradicated as a result. Of course, even for Subaru, who had been killed by them, there was no denying the fact that they were creatures whose ecology was too difficult to coexist with.
Subaru: "A white whale...? Is it in the shape of a white whale?"
Otto: "According to the few people who witnessed it and survived, it was so big that they still don't know what it was. They say that he was so desperate that he threw everything he had at it and only survived because everyone around him was being crushed."
”It's a horrible story," Otto said with a long breath, seemingly unwilling to talk about the White Whale any further.
As a peddler who traveled from place to place, the White Whale that occupied the plains for days at a time, forcing him to make detours, was an abomination to him.
He would be grateful if it was defeated, but he did not want to get involved. He could sense this intention in his attitude, and Subaru refrained from further pursuit of the matter at this point.
In any case, Subaru would not be able to return to the territory without Otto's cooperation. He had to avoid offending Otto and causing a disagreement with him.
Otto, who was focused on controlling the earth dragon, did not notice Subaru's eyes suddenly lose emotion as he looked at him.
Subaru himself was also unaware of what kind of sparkle his own eyes have now.
Slowly but surely, the situation is distorting as it progresses.
—And as a result of the forced march, even on the road at night, without a break.
Otto: "I can see it now. If we go over that hill, we will already be in Mathers territory."
Roughly half a day and three hours had passed since the ride began.
It was early in the morning when the sun, which had set after their departure, began to rise again, dazzling the world.
Subaru: "We've been running without rest, and ...maybe we've passed Rem."
Otto: "Oh no, as expected, it's hard to catch up with someone who left more than half a day ahead of you. More importantly, where are we headed to in the Mathers territory...?"
Subaru: "Ah, it's the residence of the lord, the Margrave Roswaal. Do you know where it is?"
Otto: "Roughly. Well, you can count on me."
Otto responded to Subaru with a dependable voice and nimbly moved his arm to control the reins.
Unlike Subaru, who had several shallow sleeps along the way, Otto, who had no time to rest during the ride, was almost fully awake, and his reply had a strong resonance that showed no signs of fatigue.
Otto: "Hahahaha! Go! Go! I can see the shining path now!"
It was rather amusing to see him spouting out such a crazy line, as if he had just pulled an all-nighter.
Anyway, putting aside the state of the passengers, Subaru thought of the house that was just a stone's throw away, and he thought of the reunion scene that he had been trying not to think about until now.
He didn’t think it would be easy for them to accept him. Subaru, who had been left behind in Royal Capital, would return halfway through his treatment. He have to be prepared to be sworn at.
Even so,
Subaru: "I came back to do what I have to do. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, nothing."
As if to justify his actions, or as if to make excuses to someone who was not here, Subaru repeatedly mutters the magic words that have been sustaining his energy.
When he says them, he can temporarily drive away the anxiety that swells up to the point of crushing his chest. That was why Subaru repeated the words over and over again.
Subaru kept supporting his fragile ego, which was about to collapse, with such words.
Subaru's resolve was backed by such tentative confidence.
Otto: "Natsuki-san, ...will you allow me to stop here?"
As the house approached, Otto suddenly stopped the dragon carriage after driving through a forested area, and the start of the journey was cut short.
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Subaru: "What do you mean? You're not going to tell me that the contract is over because we're in Mather’s territory, are you? It's not a scam, but it's a fraudulent move, isn't it?"
Subaru grabbed Otto, who suddenly refused to go any further on the dragon carriage driver's stand, which had stopped at a standstill. Grabbing him by the chest and pulling him to his feet, Subaru was about to throw more foul words in his face—but swallowed the words at his pale complexion.
He let go of his collar and sat down on the stand, while Otto silently straightened his disheveled clothes. Then he bowed deeply to Subaru.
Otto: "I am sorry. I had intended to stay with you until the end. But I don't have the courage to go any further."
Subaru: "What are you talking about from a moment ago? What does courage have to do with it? We're almost to the house. It's not a bad road. Please, Otto."
Otto: "I can't do it, even if you ask me to. I can't take all the money either. I will give you half of it back. So please let me turn back here."
Subaru tried to proceed lightly, but Otto put his hands on the ground, bowed his head, and earnestly begged for forgiveness.
Subaru gulped at the sight of the man, who was so tragic that he couldn’t help but gasp.
Subaru: "Suddenly, what's wrong? What's wrong with you…?"
Otto: "The earth dragon is ...frightened. This has never happened before! This is why peddlers use dragons for transportation. The earth dragon knows that it should not be approached...!"
Shaking his hand on the reins, a blue-faced Otto looked down at the earth dragon. The dragon was breathing heavily and silently, waiting for its master's command. It was breathing heavily and quietly, but it kept snorting in the direction it was going—toward its destination—as if to warn us of danger, and urging us to be on high alert.
Subaru realized from the behavior of the dragon and the reaction of Otto, who trusted him.
He knew that an unimaginable threat awaited them ahead.
And he could not let Otto and the others go along with him. Subaru has no other choice but to take on the challenge alone.
Subaru: "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm sorry to have frightened you, Otto."
Otto: "What?"
Hearing the surprised voice at his back, Subaru flew from the platform to the ground. Landing just beside the earth dragon, he lightly tapped his numb legs and looked up at Otto.
Subaru: "I'm going to walk to the mansion ahead. It's not that far away. It's enough that you brought me here. Take all the money you have."
Otto: "That's not possible, ...No, more importantly, Natsuki-san! You must not go! Turn back with me. It's foggy here right now!"
Subaru: "You mean there's a White Whale out there?"
Otto: "It means a bad omen for the peddlers! It's a matter of life and death for us to have fog where we're going, so… we don't care about that, just reconsider..."
Subaru: "I'm sorry, but..."
Subaru chuckled when he saw Otto, who was desperately concerned for Subaru's well being and sent his voice flying. He was probably not suited to be a merchant, where deceit and deception are the order of the day, because of his good nature.
Wondering about the professional aptitude of the good man Otto, Subaru raised his hand and turned his back on the dragon carriage and him.
Subaru: "Just as you put life and money on the scales of importance, I'm putting something as important as life on the scales. That important thing is just down the road."
Otto: "Natsuki-san!"
Subaru: “I don't think it's your fault for turning back. Turning back in the face of danger is the right answer. I'm glad I knew that in advance.”
At the end of this road, at the destination Subaru was aiming for, there is a danger that even the dragon was scared of.
He must hurry. He must rush. The answer Subaru seeks must lie there.
Otto: "—Natsuki-san!"
Leaving Otto, who had been calling his name out of concern for Subaru until the very end, Subaru kicked out hard at the ground in the deep green forest area and ran.
Running, and running, and running, Subaru abandoned the person who had cared for him without a premium, and continued to reach his destination.
He did not know the exact distance to the Roswaal Mansion.
However, the cluster of trees that looked familiar were definitely from the mountains that surrounded the mansion. There was no doubt that the road had been left for the dragon carriage to run on and that it would be possible to reach the mansion by following it.
Before that, the nearest village—a village that Subaru had visited many times in the immediate vicinity of the mansion—would greet him, but he did not feel the need to focus on that at the moment.
Anyway, he wanted to reach the mansion as soon as possible.
If he did so, he would be able to settle the feelings of limbo that were tormenting him at the moment. Whether it is in a desired or unwanted form, he now hopes for a change.
He thought of Emilia. He thought of Rem. He thought of Emilia. He thought of Ram. He thought of Emilia. He thought of Beatrice. He thought of Emilia. He thought of Rowaal. He thought of Emilia. He thought of Puck. He thought of Emilia. He thought of the people in the village. He thought of Emilia. Think of Emilia, Emilia, Emilia, Emilia, Emilia, Emilia...
Subaru continued his sprint with too many thoughts to call it mindless.
It was not because he had arrived at his destination that Subaru stopped running.
What stopped him was a feeling of discomfort that suddenly passed through his mind.
Even Subaru, who had been concentrating on running, ignoring even the oddities in his surroundings, could clearly see the abnormality—namely, the fact that it was,
Subaru: "It's too quiet, right?"
All sound, except for the sound of the wind passing by, had disappeared from the world.
Looking around, all that is there are trees lined up in a row, and nothing actively emitting sound is there. But Subaru, who has spent nearly a month in this place, understood.
He cannot even hear the chirping of insects, and the overwhelming tranquility of this forest is extraordinary.
—And then, it suddenly appeared in a gap in Subaru's consciousness.
Subaru: "Na… ah!"
Subaru shouted in surprise and involuntarily backed away from the scene.
His face paled and he was unable to accept the reality before his eyes—standing there quietly was an unidentifiable person dressed all in black.
But the astonishment did not stop there.
Subaru: "This guy..., no, these guys...!"
Subaru turned his head and spun a sound with trembling lips. As if following his gaze, one after another, black shadows sprout like growths in various parts of the forest road.
In the blink of an eye, the number of shadows exceeded ten and surrounded the alert Subaru.
What is even more unusual is the fact that, despite the appearance of these unintelligible figures, the same silence continues for a long time.
The black-robed men quietly observe Subaru without even the slightest sign of breathing.
Subaru could not say anything, only waiting for the next action, sensing that they were not friendly.
How long had they been staring at each other?
The tension was so intense that Subaru felt that the passage of time had become terribly vague.
A violent silence, so violent that even though his heart should have been beating painfully, he could not hear it beating even to himself—and then the equilibrium was shattered just as too easily as it had begun.
That, too—and,
???: "――"
All at once, the black-robed men bowed their heads reverently to Subaru.
—Completely, Subaru's brain gives up trying to comprehend the scene.
The people who had appeared, whose meaning he did not understand, paid their respects to him, and then disappeared, leaving Subaru, who did not understand the meaning, behind.
Unable to utter a word, Subaru could only be stunned by the scene before his eyes.
They passed by Subaru's rigid body without doing anything, and disappeared from the corner of his eye with the same silent gait as when they first appeared.
When they appeared, they probably appeared through a gap in his consciousness. Even if he understood this, he could not understand everything else.
Therefore, when Subaru understood after a few minutes of rigidity that he was completely left there, he gave up any further understanding of them and started running.
Their presence scratched at Subaru's current uneasiness in a terribly unpleasant way.
In order to shake off the fear and anxiety that ran up his spine, Subaru ran along the forest road again with a single-minded determination to forget everything.
Subaru gave up trying to understand the black-clad people whose existence he could not comprehend.
Therefore, he could not notice it.
The direction in which the black-clad men glided off in was the direction in which Otto, who had been left behind, was supposed to have been.
And Subaru never once reflected on that.